Washing machine



A. R. HAAG Sept. 27,1927.

WASHING MACHINE Orizifial Filed July25, 1924 'Refe'rringfto the drawingsReis'aued -sep t.lz7; 1927;

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MACHINE.

Original no. 1,563,624.:1ated December 1, 1e25, Serial No. 728,079,filed 1111 25, 1924'. Application for:

reissue filed Eebruary 19,

My invention relates to washing machines. The invention has specialreference to agitating means, driving mechanism therefor, and to detailsof structure and combination of parts whereby the improved re- 'sultherein sought'is obtained.

One object of my invention is to provide an improved agitator mountedadjacent to. the bottom of the receptacle or tub and submerged withinthe liquid therein, and also the relationing of the agitator to acentering and guarding device at the bottom of the container-wherebyforeign matter such as dirt and the like is prevented from enteringbeneath thejagitaton' The invention also contemplates providingthe'a'gitator member-With a vertical up; standing sleeve disposedaxially with ref. spect to the center of the container and. exzo tendingpwardly above the normal water H line Of the tub and expanded to suchsubstantial' proportions that it occupies a sub .s'tantialportion ofthecent al part of thecontainer, whereby clothes Wfil be prevented fromcollectingin the central portion of the container;, and will bemaintained within the zone of greatest agitation. I Another object ofthe invention is to prolvvicle "a simple; inexpensive, and efficientmeans for driving the agitator. More particularlyit is intended to drivethe agitator from a; point above. the normal water line'ofthe receptaclefrom a driven shaft projecting upwardly through. a central openingprovidedin the bottom of the tub, means be-.

-1ng pro'vided'to effectively prevent leakage through the openingthrough which the driving member enters the receptacle.

-The invention also includes improved de- 4 tails of gonstruction in theagitator driving means and speclal meansfor making or breaking drivingconnectionwith the agita- =-.f't or member, and means forlocking thedriv-' .ing meanseither into 4 or outof operatingconnection with theagitator. 3 The invention also includes provision of :a special 'journalin. association with the,

driving means for. theia gitat -'.rrequi rement of lubrication.

Fig. 1 is a plan view 'of' 'th e machine With v theJid portion brokenaway anddisclosing y in dotted lines the'arrangement'of operating 5 gearpai'ts and driving means below thebotston; of the container or tub, parts o f the- 1921. Serial n. 169,638.

view ,beingin section to show operating a means for eflecting connectionor disengagej mentof driving connection for the agitator member. V v IFig' 2 is aside elevation showing the contamer and parts connectedtherewith, said container belng broken away to show the interioroperating parts, the latter being partially in section. 1 1

Fig. 3 is a detailed plan view showing an operating means for effecting.engagement or disengagement of the gear parts.

Fig. 4 is a side elevation showing thesame subject matter as disclosedin'Fig. 3, a por tion of said figure being broken away to show detailedparts. I Fig. 5 is a vertical sectionalview of the upper end of thesleeve member provided on the agitator, and illustrates the manner ofestablishing a driving connection for the' agitator. 1 t Fig. 6 is asectional of Fig. 5. p v y Referring more particularly tothe drawings,'the reference character 10 refers gen- 'erally to acircularcontainer or tub, 13 to ,legsupports for the container, and 14 to.removable lid orcoiver.

Reference character "15 denotes generally the agitatormember ,hereinillustrated as being constructed as a single unit. The agitator consistsof a circular disk ,or base member 16 provided with a dependingperipheral flange 17. The upper surface of the disk'is provided withagitating blades 18 which are either integral with or suitably attachedto the disk, therebeing preferably four ofsuch blades'arranged reatively in substantially equally spaced relation t Thenumeral 19 refersto an npstanding- 'sleeveof substantial diameter) extending upwardly toin. point. above the normal water line of the 'container, the upperportion of said sleeve being restricted as at 20 and pro vided wit fan'interior bore 21, the latter being sli tly tapered as shownin Fig. 5

view on the-line l fA circulai-"member traLpo'rtion of the bottom of.the container, ands relatively proportioned to the agita- .tor vdisk: orhase so thatwhen the agitator is 'in operative position the peripheralflange 17 of agitator w ll overlie the ed I I I gee of the member 22;and

10o toprovide a seat for a member here fixed in the cen w v ation lid Itwill also be appreciated that the foreign matter will not be permittedto en- -ter t erebet-ween.

member 22 will serve to centerthe-agitator and prevent undesirablelateral movement or wobbling which might otherwise have a tendency totake place, owingto the distance I "at which the agitator is supportedabove the point where the While the objectionable wobbling movement oftheagitator is effectively prevented b the member 22, it will beapparent that suc result can accomplished by various other Iarrangements. provided for that particular purpose, and the applicantdoes not WlSl-l to be limited to the specifics centering meansdisclosed.

To safeguard againstleakage through the entry into the container ofdriving means for the agitator member, a column or sleeve 23 isprovided,the same having such close threaded connection with the circular member22 as to prevent leakage, said sleeve extending upward to a point abovethe normal water line of the container, its upper end serving as a seatfor a special journal here-- inafter referred to, and constituting themain supp rt for the agitator member. I 24 is a. ring member attached atthe bottom portion of the containerand serves as a support for gearhousings and various operating mechanisms including a. motor andgear'part's, however, as such supports and gear housin from no part ofthe present inv'rition, no ztailed disclosure or special ref erence ismade thereto. v

Referrin now particularlyv to operating ,niea-ns for t e agitator, 25 isa. vertical shaft 1 having journaled bearing in sleeve member 26,depending' from' rin member 24, and also inisleeve' member 2 dependingfrom gear casin 'memberg28," forming a part of and depen ing from ringmember 24, there portion 30, said hub and gear bein dimensioned withrespect to sleeve member 2 and the bottom of housing 28 to permit it tobe reciprocated. The upper 'end of shaft-.25 (see Fig. 5) is mutilatedto form a flat face thereon, and to it is attached a clutch member 31,havingacentral opening fashioned in conformity to the u per endof shaft25, and is secured thereto y means of pin 32, said clutch member beingfashioned with angular oiiter faces. to adapt it for entry andco-operationwith the similar tapered angular opening 21 in the'extensionportion 20 .of the sleeve member 19. The'clutch memher is also providedwith an annular flange 33 at its lower end adapted to engage off- 1 setortions at the lower extremityof extension 20-, thereby forming a stopto. facilitats proper relationing of said clutch to it's greatest thrustoccurs.

, bein fixed to said shaft, gear wheel 29, pro-.1

' vide [with a hub wringer operatin seat within extension 20.Inpractice, agitator member 15, comprising the disk and sleeve membersisso proportioned with respect to member 22 and clutch member 31, thatwhen said agitator is placed in proper workingposition upon its support,it will be supported at its upper end by the sleeve 23 and theinterposed bearings.

It will be notedthat the unitary agitator structure 15, comprising thedisk and sleeve member, may be readily removed from its seat and drivingconnection by simple ver- I tical lift, without the requirement forrelease of parts or'mechanisms.

A-special 'ournal bearmg 1s provided for the upper end of shaft 25, tomeet thecircumstances of its being located in a position where ordina-roiling is not feasible, due to the danger of leakage to the container.The bearing is indicated at 34, and is formed from a orous substance, aswood, to facilitate its eing saturated with oil. Abearin of ready oilabsorbiniquality, either 0 wood orother servicea ematerial, having beensaturatedwith oil and sleeved within the upper-end of tubular member 23,forms a bearing that requires infrequent re-saturation and is so relatedto the mechanism that it may be readilyremoved for saturation or tofacilitate substitution of another similar ournal. a

With-reference to the driving connection for-reciprocating the agitator,35 is agear segment swingably in connection with swin ing arm 36, thelatter being longitud1 nal y- 'adjustablypivoted in conjunction withlacam member, hereinafter referred to.

Gear segment 35 is'caused to be reciprocated through a definite distancethrough and by means of abar member;37,driven from a crank arm 38,fixedto driven shaft 39, said shaft bein suitably sup rted'in connectionwith gear ousing 40, t e latter being suitably connected with a' eneralframing. Shaft 39, is driven throu .Worm wheel 41, fixed thereon, thelatter 7 ingdriven from worm 42', on shaft 43, said shaft 43, beingdriven from belt wheel 44, which. said belt wheel is in turn driven froma wheel and belt connection with motor 46.

A "driving connection is shown to a tion with swingmg arm 36, to whichsegment gear 35, is attached, whereby upon the shaft, however, as thisturning of said eccentric member within its segmentgear 35, with earmember 29, on

seat in arm member 36, the latter willbe caused to be retracted orextended to effect optional engagement orv disengagement of agitatorshaft 25, there y provided forengagement or disengagement of the drivingconnection to the agitator. The particular means for operating cammember 47 include vertical shaft 48 (to fwhi'ch said cam is fixed),journaled in bracket member49, at the bottom portion of the containerand lts upper end journaled in boxing member ,50,

. said boxing member being provided with an outwardly extending flange51, provided with looking seats 52 on the underface thereof. A rockerarm 53 is fixed to shaft 48, within which spring 55 is carried. 56 is aball so disposed wlth respect to spring 55 and the lower face of flan e51 that the same will be permanently hel he'- tween said spring andflange members, and,

as the rocker arm .53 is turned, the ball" may be causedto registeroptionally with either.

' 'of the seats 52, thereby aflfording looking means to'hold the gearsegment 35 either into or out of engagement with gear member 29. p

WVhat I claim is: v

1. In a. washing machine, in combination, aclothes container, anagitator therein, a member extending upwardly from the agitator memberto a point above the normal water level. therein fashioned at its upperend to provide a driving connection for agitator operating means, adriving member for said agitator extending upwardly through wthe bottomof the container and fashioned at its upper end for detachable drivingconnection with the extension from the agitator member, means forreciprocating-the 'agi tator driving member, and a guard interposedbetween theagita-tor and the 'bottoii of, thetub and spaced from theside walls I ,of the tub to prevent the entrance of ex} traneous matterbeneath the agitator;

2. In a washing machine, in combination, a tub or container, an agitator,member, a member extending upwardly therefrom fashioned at its upperend to provide a- .driving connection, for a'driven member, a suitablysupported driven member extending upwardly through the bottom of thecontainer and through the extension member of the agita-- tor fashionedat its upper end for driving engagement; with said agitator extension, aguard element interposed between the agitator member and the bottom ofthe tub, and means for reciprocally driving said driven.

member, a sleeve member projecting up wardly from the guardelement toapointabove the normal water line'a'nd surrounding the driven member.

I 3. 'wasli'in'gezmachine, in combination, a ccntamer, an [agitatormember, means 1n- 5 terposed between the agitator andthe bottom of thecontainer for centering said/agitator member I and excluding extraneousmatter from entering between said member and the bottom of the tub, acircular sleeve member of substantial diameter extending upwardly fromthe agitator to a point above the normal water line fashioned fordriving Q connection with a drive shaft, a suitably sup- I porteddriving shaft extending upwardlythrough the bottom of the container to apoint to accommodate driving connection with the upper end .of thesleeve member, a

means for reciprocating the drive shaft and an inner'sleeve memberconnected with the f .80

bottom portion of the container and extending upwardly therefrom to apoint above the normal water line and serving as a housing for the driveshaft. 1 I

4. In a washing machine in combination, a container, a circular memberdisposed about the axial center of the container and extending upwardlyfrom the. bottom thereone disk member similarly circularly fashioned andhaving-a downwardly extending peripheral flange adapted to overlie thecircular member, a sleeve member extending upwardly from said disk to apoint aboveits' normal waterline and disposed about a line through theaxial-center of the disk and fashioned '-at its upper end in a manner toeffect driving connection with a drive shaft a luralityof agitatorbladesdisposed radia1 y on said disk,'a suitably-supported drive I shaftextending upwardly. through the bottom of the container to a point'abovethe normal waterline therein, fashioned at'its upper end for drivingconnection with the sleeve member, means for reciprocating the driveshaft to effect reciprocation of the sleeve and associated disk, 3.water seal in cluding a tubular member housing said drive shaftconnectedwith the circular member'at the bottom of the container andextending upwardly to apoint above the normal water line within thecontainer, and a bearing fforf the upper end of the drive shaftsupported in connection with the sleeve member of theseal.

5. A Washing machine having in combination container, an agitator withinsaid container, a member interposed between said' agitator and. thebottom of the con tainer, the said member being adapted to revent theentrance'of extraneous matter catin the agitator.

eneath the agitator, and means for re'ci'pro 6. n a washing machine,incombination, j a containen an agitator disk, a-member beneath saiddisk to prevent the entrance of foreign matterbetween the disk and thebottom of the container, a sleeve member connected with and extendingupwardlyfrom the disk to a point above the normal Waterline ofthecontainer, agitator meln- I here on the agitator disk, a drive shaftextending upwardly within the container for engagement with the sleevemember to reciprocate the same in conjunction with said agitator disk,means for reciprocating said shaft to effect reciprocal activity of theagitator disk, and a Water seal housing said shaft and connected withthe shaft entry way to the container and extending upwardly to a pointabove the normal water line of the container. j

7 A washing machine having in combination, a container, an agitator diskwithin said container,.a stationary'disk interposed between the agitatorand the bottom of the container forming a substantially watertightconnection between the agitator and the bottom of the container, asleeve member connected with the central portion of the agitator diskand extending upwardly to a point above the normal water line of thecontainer, a drive shaft for said agitator having'a driving connectionwith the sleeve member at a point above the normal water line, a tubularmember connected to said stationary disk and interposed between saiddrive shaft and the sleeve member, and means for reciprocating saidshaft.

8. A washing machine having in combination a container, an agitatorwithin said container and a bafiie member at the central container, anda member at the central portion of the bottomof the container, saidmember being adapted to prevent the entrance of foreign matter beneaththe agitaftor and to center the agitator, and means for. reciprocatingthe agitator.

9. A- washing machine having in combination a container, an agitatorwithin said portion of-the bottom of the container di rectlyinter-related with the agitator andthe bottom of the container toprevent the lateral movement of the agitator, and means forreciprocating the agitator.

10.,A wa'shing machine having in combination a tub, a driving memberprojecting through the bottom of the tub to a pointabove the normalwater line thereof, an agitatoradjacent the bottom of the tub, means forsupporting the agitator from the upper extremity of the driving member,and means directly associated with the agitator andlthe bottom of thetub to prevent lateral movemerit of the agitator;

11. A washing machine having in combination a-container, an agitatorwithin the container and adjacent the bottom thereof,

ineans-for reciprocating the agitator and means interposed betweensaidagitator and the bottom of the container to center theagitator andprevent lateral movement thereof. v 12. A washing machine having 1ncombination, a tub, a driven memberv extending upwardly therein to apoint above the normal water line, an a 'tator actuated by said drivenmember and etachable therefrom-by a vertical lift, said agitatorcomprising a I main'laterally extending body portion dis: posed adjacentthe bottom of the tub, and a sleeve member extending upwardly from themain body portion to a point above the normal water line of the tub, theupper end of said sleeve being driven and centered by said drivingmember and a member engaging said laterally extending body portion forcentering the lower portion of the agitator against lateral movement.

13. A washing machine having in combination a tub, provided with acentral opening in the bottom thereof, a tubular member within the tubin axial alignment with said opening, the said tubular member projectingupwardly to a point above thenormal water line of said tub, a drivingmember projecting through the opening in the bottom of the tub and thetubular member to a point beyond the upperend of said member, anagitator located adjacent the bottom of the tub, a sleeve memberconnected to the agitator and spaced from the tubular member, means forconnecting the upper end of the sleeve member to the upper end of thedriving member, and guarding and centering means directly associatedwith the said agitator adapted to prevent lateral movement of theagitator and exclude the entrance of foreign matter thereunder.

14. In a washing machine, a tub;having' an opening centrally disposed inthe bottom thereof, a vertical drive shaft projecting through saidopening to a point above the 1 normal water level in the tub andadjacent to the top thereof, a column' surrounda ing said shaft andterminating adjacentthe upper end thereof, said column having awatertight connection at the bottom of the tub, means for agitating thecontents of the tub, said gitating means comprising a disklike memberarranged adjacent to the bot'- tom of the tub, a plurality of agitating'blades on ,the, upper surface of said disk no member, a central-sleeveformed \integral with said disk and "projecting upwardly therefrom,meansfor positively connecting the upper endrof said sleeve with theupper agitating end of the drive shaft whereby the means is driven fromsaid shaft, an means for centering the said disk member about itsvertical axis during actuation. a 15. In a washing machine, a tub havingan opening centrally disposed inthe bottom;

thereof, a vertical drive shaft projecting through said opening to apoint above the normal water level in the tub and adjacent to the topthereof, a column surrounding said shaft and terminating adjacent the upper. end thereof, the said column having a watertight connection at thebottom of the tub,-means for agitating the contents of the tub, the saidagitating means comprising a. "disklike memberv arranged adjacent to thebottom of thetub, a plurality of agitating blades on the upper surfaceof said.

disk member, a central sleeve formed integral with said disk; andprojecting up-,

, through said opening to a point above the normal water level in thetub and adjacent to thetop thereof, a column surrounding said I shaftand terminating below the upper end thereof, said column having awatertight connection at the bottom of the tub, means for agitating thecontents of the tub, said means comprising a disklike member arrangedadjacent to the bottom of the tub, a central sleeve formed integral withsaid disklike member and projecting upwardly therefrom, the said sleevebeing constructed to fit over the upper end of the drive shaft andengage the upper end of the column whereby the agitating means issupported by the column, means for positively connecting the upper endofthe sleeve to the drive shaft whereby the agitating means is driven fromsaid shaft, the said connecting means permitting the removal of theagitating means by simple vertical lift, and a bearing member forcentering the lower end of said disk v member during actuation.

17. In a washin machine, a tub, having an opening centr y disposed inthe bottom thereof, a vertical drive shaft projecting through saidopening to a. point above the normal water level in the tub and adjacentto the topthereof, means for sealing said opening, and means foragitating thecontents of the tub, said agitating means comprising adisklike member arranged adjacent to the bottom of the tub and havingthe periphery thereof spaced a substantial distance from the wall of thetub, a central sleeve projecting upwardly from said disk to a pointadjacent the upper end of the drive shaft, means for positivelyconnecting the upper endof said sleeve with the drive shaft whereby theagitating means is driven from said shaft. v

18. In a washing machine, "a tub having an opening centrally disposed inthe bottom thereof, a vertical drive shaft projecting through saidopening to a point abovethe normal water level in the tub and adjacentto the top thereof, housing means surrounding said shaft, and means foragitating the contents of the tub, said agitating means comprising adisklike member arranged adjacent to the bottom of the tub and beingsubstantially smaller in diam eter than the bottom of the latter, acentral sleeve projecting upwardly from said disk to a point adjacentthe upper end of the drive shaft, means for positively connecting theupper end of said sleeve with the drive shaft and sealing whereby theagitating means. is driven from i said shaft, and means for centeringthe agitator about its vertical axis.

.In testimony whereof,.I have hereunto affixed my signature.

ALBERT R. HAAG.

